Dear Kitten – Homework Fail

I picked you up from school one Friday several weeks ago. In your cubby was your jacket, your hair elastics which you never keep in, a piece of artwork, and…a homework folder.

I gasped. So soon? I’m not ready for this! I didn’t want to touch it. By picking it up I was accepting responsibility for this homework. I lifted it – gently, mournfully – and tucked it under my arm. And so it begins…

You love to write and trace. And that’s all this homework is, really. So why can we not seem to ever get it done? I have seen you complete an entire book of connect-the-dots while your homework folder sat untouched beside you. “Kitten, don’t you want to do your homework instead?” Nope!

What is this inherent and apparently shared aversion to something labeled ‘homework’? It has been late 50% of the time and incomplete 25% of the time. I know we aren’t teaching you good habits here.

I know that this early-on homework is all about training – training you to work on skills outside of the classroom and training us, your parents, to be involved with your education. We are supposed to help you with this homework. Parents are supposed to help their children with all of their learning. Teachers aren’t supposed to educate our children in a vacuum.

And so, we are learning – together. Daddy has set an alarm on his phone. Saturday mornings we will get together and do homework. And maybe a few connect-the-dots as well 😉